British airport partly evacuated in `chemical incident`

London: Police evacuated part of a British airport on Saturday and declared a "chemical incident" after a man tried to carry some non-identified white powder onto a plane.
A check-in area in Manchester Airport in northwest England was cleared after the substance was discovered in a bag carried by an Asian man planning to fly to London Heathrow.

However, police Superintendent Leor Giladi said there was "no imminent danger", and a source said it was unlikely the incident was terror-related.

Britain is on high alert after the terror threat assessment was raised to its second highest level on Friday, suggesting an attack is "highly likely".

A police spokesman said officers were called to Manchester Airport shortly before 12.55pm (GMT) by security staff from the check-in desk at Terminal 3.

They had "discovered a non-identified white powder in a bag which a man was attempting to carry on to a plane".

"Officers attended along with the fire service and they declared it a chemical incident," the spokesman added.

"The check-in desk at Terminal 3 has been cordoned off and a man in his 20s is helping police with their inquiries at the airport."

An airport spokeswoman later confirmed that flights were leaving from Terminal 3 but passengers had to check in at a different terminal.